Orthopedic footwear with dynamic medial longitudinal arch support

ABSTRACT

The various embodiments herein provide an orthopedic footwear for correcting a foot deformity. The orthopedic footwear comprises an upper for covering a user&#39;s foot, a sole comprising an anterior part, a posterior part and a medial part, and a plurality of Bowden cables for connecting the posterior part and the anterior part of the sole. The sole configured to receive the user&#39;s foot. The Bowden cables are configured to vary a height of the medial part of the sole to provide a dynamic support to a medial-longitudinal arch of the user&#39;s foot.

SPONSORSHIP STATEMENT

The present invention is sponsored by INSF (Iranian National Science Foundation) for international filing.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The embodiments herein generally relate to an orthopedic device.

The embodiments herein particularly relates to an orthopedic footwear with a dynamic medial longitudinal arch support.

2. Description of the Related Art

Foot plays a very important role in gait, because of its three functions in shock absorption, balancing and muscle force transfer to have optimum body progression. A medial longitudinal arch is the most important biomechanical organizer of the foot during walking. The arch is dynamic and its height varies in the gait cycle. Gait has two phases. The first phase is known as stance in which the foot is in contact with the earth and in the second phase, the foot is not in contact with the earth. In the initial stance, a subtalar joint comes in pronation and the arch height is lowered. In the terminal stance, the subtalar joint comes in supination and the arch height is increased. During walking or running, a change in arch height results in two important consequences. In the initial stance, the soft tissue surrounding a tarsal bone is loosened and the tarsal bone is allowed to move freely, when the arch height is lowered. The position facilitates the accommodation of the foot to the surface. In terminal stance, the soft tissue surrounding the tarsal bones become tight during the heightening of the medial arch. So the tarsal bones are not able to move freely and become as a rigid wood. This position facilitates the transition of the muscle forces to move the body.

The aforementioned movement of the foot occurs, when the medial longitudinal arch is normal. One deformity that prevents this normal movement is a flat foot. In a persons with the flat foot, the subtalar joint is in pronation and does not have an ability to go in supination, during the terminal stance. This abnormality has some consequences. Despite completing the initial stance, the terminal stance of the foot movement is not normal due to an inability of the subtalar joint. Since the muscle force transition is not optimum and more muscle effort is necessary for body progression thereby resulting a muscle fatigue in consequence. Other flat foot complications are abnormality in the tarsal bone morphology. In a normal foot, the tarsal bone has a normal morphology due to the repeated supination and pronation of the subtalar joint. But a lack of supination in a flat foot cases abnormality in the tarsal bones, especially talus and navicular bones morphology. According to “Janda's kinetic chain theory”, a disorder in one joint's biomechanics can affect the adjacent joints. So a change in tarsal bones' biomechanics caused by flatfoot can affect the hip, knee and lumbar region joints. This change in the joint's biomechanics can cause some degenerative diseases such as knee osteoarthritis and patellofemoral joint pain.

The traditional orthosis for flatfoot is based on a static medial longitudinal arch support. Use of the traditional orthosis facilitates an increase in the height of the medial longitudinal arches and supination of the subtalar joint. Achieving the subtalar joint supination facilitates the windlass effect and optimized muscle force transition. The orthosis decreases the muscle effort that is to be made during walking.

One of the drawbacks in using the traditional orthosis while walking is that the orthosis affects the subtalar joint pronation in the initial phase of stance. A lack of pronation in the initial stance will result in multiple complications. A lack of supination-pronation cycle in subtalar joint, regardless of using orthosis, leads to abnormal tarsal bone morphology. A lack of recovery of the normal subtalar joint biomechanics, regardless of using orthosis, leads to abnormal adjacent joint biomechanics. In overall, regardless of using the traditional orthosis, the biomechanical defect remains.

In the view of the foregoing, there is a need for an orthosis which comprise a dynamic medial longitudinal arch support.

The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

OBJECTS OF THE EMBODIMENTS HEREIN

The primary object of the embodiments herein is to provide an orthosis which comprise a dynamic medial longitudinal arch support.

Another object of the embodiments herein is to recover a normal motion of a subtalar joint, in case of a postural deformity of a foot.

Yet another object of the embodiment herein is to provide an orthopedic footwear having less energy consumption and better shock absorption.

Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to adopt an orthopedic device to facilitate a normal tarsal bone biomechanics in case of a flat foot.

Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to eliminate abnormal adjacent joint biomechanics by correcting the subtalar joint biomechanics.

Yet another object of the embodiments herein is to optimize a muscular force transition made when walking, in-case of the postural deformity of the foot.

These and other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein will become readily apparent from the following summary and the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY

The various embodiments herein provide an orthopedic footwear for correcting a foot deformity. The orthopedic footwear comprises an upper for covering a user's foot a sole comprising an anterior part, a posterior part and a medial part; and a plurality of Bowden cables, connecting to the posterior part and the anterior part of the sole. The sole configured to receive the user's foot. The Bowden cable are configured to vary a height of the medial part of the sole to provide a dynamic support to a medial-longitudinal arch of the user's foot.

According to an embodiment herein, the sole comprises a lateral side and a medial side. The posterior part of the sole is positioned along the lateral side of the sole. The medial part of sole is placed in the middle portion of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the anterior part of the sole is located under a plurality of toes of the user's foot, and wherein the anterior part is hinged to the posterior and medial parts of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the posterior part of the sole is placed under a heel of the user's foot. The posterior part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the medial part is positioned under the medial longitudinal arch of the user's foot. The medial part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, a posteromedial side of the anterior part is fastened to the medial side of the posterior part by the plurality of Bowden cables.

According to an embodiment herein, the posterior part and medial part of the sole are not in a direct-contact with each other.

According to an embodiment herein, the cables are transferred from the anterior part to the posterior part of the sole through an inferior interior side of the medial part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the Bowden cables are extended in an initial stance of a gait cycle due to a body weight of the user. The medial part of the sole is lowered as the user's foot is in contacts with a ground.

According to an embodiment herein, the Bowden cables are contracted in a terminal stance of the gait cycle. The medial part of the sole is raised by the cables to provide a dynamic arch support to a medial arch of the user's foot.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a sole of an orthopedic footwear with a dynamic medial longitudinal arch support, according to an embodiment herein.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS HEREIN

In the following detailed description, a reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.

The various embodiments herein provide an orthopedic footwear for correcting a foot deformity. The orthopedic footwear comprises an upper for covering a user's foot a sole comprising an anterior part, a posterior part and a medial part; and a plurality of Bowden cables, connecting to the posterior part and the anterior part of the sole. The sole configured to receive the user's foot. The Bowden cable are configured to vary a height of the medial part of the sole to provide a dynamic support to a medial-longitudinal arch of the user's foot.

According to an embodiment herein, the sole comprises a lateral side and a medial side. The posterior part of the sole is positioned along the lateral side of the sole. The medial part of sole is placed along the medial side of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the anterior part of the sole is located under a plurality of toes of the user's foot, and wherein the anterior part is hinged to the posterior and medial parts of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the posterior part of the sole is placed under a heel of the user's foot. The posterior part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the medial part is positioned under the medial longitudinal arch of the user's foot. The medial part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, a posteromedial side of the anterior part is fastened to the medial side of the posterior part by the plurality of Bowden cables.

According to an embodiment herein, the posterior part and medial part of the sole are not in a direct-contact with each other.

According to an embodiment herein, the cables are transferred from the anterior part to the posterior part of the sole through an interior side of the medial part of the sole.

According to an embodiment herein, the Bowden cables are extended in an initial stance of a gait cycle due to a body weight of the user. The medial part of the sole is lowered as the user's foot contacts a ground.

According to an embodiment herein, the Bowden cables are contracted in a terminal stance of the gait cycle. The medial part of the sole is raised by the cables to provide a dynamic arch support to a medial arch of the user's foot.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an orthopedic footwear with a dynamic medial longitudinal arch support, according to an embodiment herein. The footwear is designed different for both a right foot and a left foot. The footwear provides an intimate support contact to the foot suffering from a deformity (such as flat foot), thereby providing a support to the arch and other structures of the foot through a plurality of biomechanical phases of gait foot movement. The orthopedic shoes have two parts: an upper and a sole 100. The upper part of the footwear is employed for covering a user's foot. The sole 100 is adapted to provide a support to an underside of weight-bearing portions of the user's foot. In a traditional design, a medial-longitudinal arch support is mounted on one part of the sole. The footwear disclosed herein incorporates the sole 100 comprising at least three parts: an anterior part 101, a posterior part 103 and a medial part 102. The anterior part 101 of the sole 100 is configured to reside under a plurality of toes of the user's foot. The posterior part 103 of the sole 100 is positioned to support a heel of the user's foot. The height of the medial part 102 of the sole 100, which is located under a medial longitudinal arch 108 of the user's foot, is varied depending on the gait phases of the foot movement. Hence the medial part 102 is configured to provide a dynamic support to the medial arch of the user's foot during the different phases of the gait cycle.

The sole 100 comprises a lateral side 109 and a medial side 110. The medial side 110 of the sole is the side on which the user's foot arch is present. The lateral side of the sole is present on an outer edge of the footwear. The posterior part 103 of the sole 100 is positioned along the lateral side of the sole 100 and the medial part 102 of the sole 100 is placed along the medial side 110 of the sole 100. The anterior part 101 of the sole 100 is located under a plurality of toes of the user's foot. The anterior part 101 is hinged to the posterior 103 and medial parts 102 of the sole with the help of an attachment. The posterior part 103 of the sole 100 is placed to be under a heel of the user's foot. An attachment 107 is provided to connect the posterior part 103 and the anterior part 101 of the sole 100. The medial part 102, positioned under the medial longitudinal arch of the user's foot and is hinged to the anterior part 101 of the sole 100.

The footwear further comprises a plurality of Bowden cables 104 which connect the posterior part 103 of the sole 100 to the anterior part 101 of the sole 100. The Bowden cables 104 are configured to vary the height of the medial part 102 to provide a dynamic support to the medial- longitudinal arch of the user's foot. The posterior part 103 and the medial part 102 of the sole 100 are not directly connected to each other. The Bowden cables 104 has two attachments to the anterior 101 and posterior 103 parts of the sole 100. The plurality of Bowden cables 104 is used to connect an attachment 106 at a posteromedial side of the anterior part 101 to an attachment 111 of the medial side of the posterior part 103 of the sole 100. The Bowden cables 104 have no connection to the medial part 102 of the sole 100. The cables 104 transfer underneath the medial part 102. It is important to use the Bowden cable 104 for reducing the friction between the cable 104 and the interior side 105 of the medial part 102, while transferring the force from the anterior part 101 to the medial part 102.

The present orthopedic footwear has a dynamic medial-longitudinal arch support. The arch supports height varies in different phases of a gait cycle. In initial stance, the medial longitudinal arch of foot lowers, and in terminal stance, the height of the medial longitudinal arches is increased. The weight of the user's body applies a force on the footwear, during the initial stance of the gait cycle. The force applied on the footwear causes the Bowden cables 104 to loosen, thereby enabling the medial part 102 of the sole 100 to bend downwards. The medial longitudinal arch of the user's foot lowers as the medial part 102 bends, thereby facilitating the subtalar pronation of the user's foot. In terminal stance of the gait cycle, a force created by a metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion is transferred to tighten the Bowden cables 104. The tightening of the Bowden cables 104 increases the height of the medial part 102 of the sole 100 to increase the height of the medial longitudinal arch.

A tarsal bone and especially, the subtalar joint of the foot is dynamic. The foot movement has pronation and supination in the initial stance and the terminal stance of gait respectively. In flatfoot disorder, this joint becomes static in pronation. When the conventional static medial longitudinal arch support is used, the joint is static in supination. To achieve the normal condition, the footwear with the dynamic medial longitudinal arch support is required.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments.

It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Although the embodiments herein are described with various specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the embodiments described herein and all the statements of the scope of the embodiments which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An orthopedic footwear for correcting a foot deformity comprises: an upper configured for covering a user's foot; a sole comprising an anterior part, a posterior part and a medial part, and wherein the sole is configured to receive the user's foot, and wherein the posterior part and the medial part of the sole are not configured to be in a direct-contact with each other; and a plurality of cables, connected to the posterior part and the anterior part of the sole, and wherein the plurality of cables is configured to vary a height of the medial part of the sole to provide a dynamic support to a medial-longitudinal arch of the user's foot based on a gait phase of a foot movement, and wherein the plurality of cables is Bowden cables, and wherein the plurality of cables is configured to extend in an initial stance of a gait cycle due to a body weight of the user, and wherein the plurality of cables is configured to contracts in a terminal stance of the gait cycle, and wherein the medial part of the sole is configured to be raised by the plurality of cables and configured to provide a dynamic arch support to a medial arch of the user's foot.
 2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the sole is configured to comprises a lateral side and a medial side, and wherein the posterior part of the sole is configured to be positioned along the lateral side of the sole, and wherein the medial part of sole is configured to be placed along the medial side of the sole.
 3. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the anterior part of the sole is configured to be located under a plurality of toes of the user's foot, and wherein the anterior part is hinged to the posterior and medial parts of the sole.
 4. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the posterior part of the sole is configured to be placed under a heel of the user's foot, and wherein the posterior part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.
 5. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the medial part is configured to be positioned under a medial longitudinal arch of the user's foot, and wherein the medial part is hinged to the anterior part of the sole.
 6. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the anterior part is fastened to the posterior part by the plurality of cables.
 7. (canceled)
 8. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cables is configured to pass from the anterior part to the posterior part of the sole through an interior side of the medial part of the sole.
 9. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the medial part of the sole is configured to be lowered when the user's foot is configured to be in contacts with a ground surface.
 10. (canceled) 